This Used to Be My Playground
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: Things got complicated. They had never been easy, but they'd never been hard. Now, they just seemed more difficult. As she curled into his arms, they realized that they could never return. Fully summary inside. A/U.


**This Used to Be My Playground**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: Things got complicated. They had never been easy, but they'd never been hard. Now, they just seemed more difficult. As they stood in the park, the swings moving with the gentle breeze, they both wondered how everything had changed in a matter of a few short years. Gone were the carefree days of laughter and fun in childhood; replaced with the struggle and hardship of adulthood. As she curled into his arms, they both realized that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't return. **

**A/N: Madonna's song**

**A/N: Already written.**

_This used to be my playground  
This used to be my childhood dream  
This used to be the place I ran to  
Whenever I was in need  
Of a friend  
Why did it have to end  
Can't say goodbye to yesterday _

Things got complicated.

They had never been easy, but they'd never been hard. Now, though, they just seemed more difficult. Now, everything seemed like it was going to come crashing down on them. As they stood in the park, the swings moving with the gentle breeze, they both wondered how everything had changed in a matter of a few short years. Gone were the carefree days of laughter and fun in childhood; replaced with the struggle and hardship of adulthood. As she curled into his arms, they both realized that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't return.

There was too much at stake. Their rule. Their marriage. Their children.

Friendship had grown out of childhood. Love had grown out of friendship. Passion had grown out of love. Their marriage had been consummated, not long after their wedding vows had been exchanged. Their children had been concieved out of their passion, their love of each other.

She reached down, her fingers curling around the small charms on the bracelet around her wrist. She could feel the shape of the charm press into her skin, cold and unfeeling. It was hard and unforgiving. Letting go, she moved onto the next charm, and the next. Three charms, one for each of her children. A doll, a toy car, and a doll house. Three beautiful children, tucked into their beds back in the castle. Intermingling with the charms of her children, were charms highlighting major events in their marriage.

An engagement ring, wedding bells, an Emerald City crest for their honeymoon, a baby bootie for their oldest daughter, Katila, a crown for their coronation, a scroll for the treaty they'd signed with Munchkinland, a pacifier for their son, Liir, a book for when Elphaba's first novel had been published, a rattle for their youngest daughter, Denaa, each one when they were born. He'd given the bracelet to her on their wedding night, and added a charm for each major milestone in their lives.

She sighed, feeling his hand reach out and wrap his fingers through hers. She met his eyes, giving him a small smile. Squeezing her hand, he led her to the swings. She took a seat, and gently, he pushed her. For a moment, they were children again, having fun, enjoying their friendship, their time away from schoolwork and home life. When the swinging slowed and finally stopped, she looked up at him, sharing his smile, before watching him go to the tire swing. Getting up, she followed him, silently joining him, until they both sat- across from each other, legs mingling- holding onto the chain of the tire swing. The breeze gently pushed the swing, and they locked eyes.

She looked around, seeing the last of the leaves float to the ground, the trees bare. She turned back to her husband; he was watching his feet. She licked her lips, biting her bottom lip, before asking,

"Yero?" He met her eyes. "What happened to us?"

He saw the longing in her eyes, the desire to know how they'd gone from a carefree world of childhood, to the struggling world of adulthood. He saw how desparate she was to know the answer. Reluctantly, he sighed, and reached out, covering her hand with his. Slowly, her fingers reached out, wrapping around a couple of his. In a whisper, he replied,

"We grew up."

She nodded, accepting it. They stayed like that for several moments, before he helped her out of the swing, and the two left the playground. As they looked back, she asked,

"Yero?"

"Yes, Fae?" He replied, as she placed herself in his strong embrace.

"I...."

He waited.

"I...." What did she want to say? That it had been a mistake, growing up? Getting married? Raising a family? That concieving and birthing their children had been a mistake? That they should never have grown up, never raised a family, never taken the throne? That their love was a mistake? She stopped, thinking. She looked back at the charms on her bracelet; the wedding bells, the book, the doll, the crown.

Finally, she looked up, meeting his eyes. Beating him to the draw, she opened her mouth first.

"Did we have to grow up?"


End file.
